Sheree's Journey Without Limits

Celiac Disease: Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

To become healthy, begin eliminating wheat and gluten from your diet

By eliminating gluten from your diet, your intestines are given a chance to heal. Gluten is not just found in bread but everything from soy sauce to soup. Reading labels to see if food is labelled “gluten-free” and making sure wheat is not on the ingredient list is the first step to eliminating gluten from the diet. By following these steps, your digestive problems will become a thing of the past.

Get tested: A simple blood test can help to determine whether you are producing antibodies to gluten. If you suffer from digestive conditions or have a family history of such, a test will give you the right diagnosis before you start eliminating gluten from your diet. If the test turns out positive, doctors will perform a endoscopy to determine whether your antibodies are attacking your villi – tiny finger-like protrusions that line the small intestine and help digest food. By eliminating gluten, you allow the villa to repair themselves. If your antibodies are only slightly elevated and tests determine you don’t have celiac, you may be gluten intolerant. Your body is then unable to break down gluten, but unlike with celiac disease, you won’t experience malabsorption.

Change your diet and choose health: If diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, begin to cut out all sources of gluten. It may take weeks or up to a year for healing to take place depending on the severity of the condition.

Manage stress: Stress may cause the body to develop sensitivities to a number of foods, including gluten. Though scientists are not sure why stress increases gluten intolerance, they know it can damage the intestines’ tissue-thin membrane.

Take supplements: Keep your stomach operating at a healthy peak capacity by taking all natural supplements like probiotics. The good bacteria like acidophilus can help repair and protect damaged or irritated intestines. Multivitamins can also help prevent nutritional deficiencies that arise.